The Italian government is ready to continue supporting Ukraine, even if it affects its rating. This was said on Tuesday by Italy’s chief cabinet officer, Georgia Meloni, speaking to the Italian Senate ahead of the March 23-24 European Council summit.
“We will continue to support Ukraine because it is the right thing to do in terms of national values and interests,” Meloni said.
She stressed that “the Ukrainian people defend the values of freedom and democracy on which our civilization is based, and the very foundations of international law”. Meloni recalled that military assistance is necessary to help a country under attack.
Opinion polls show that military assistance to Kiev is not to the liking of a number of Meloni’s allies in the conservative coalition government, as well as some voters who traditionally vote for right-wing parties .
Meloni is a consistent proponent of support for Ukraine, speaking out in particular for increased military supplies to Kiev. His allies in the party coalition have different views on these issues.
Forza Italia party leader and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi last month accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of instigating the conflict.
However, Forza Italia voted to supply arms to Ukraine, as did the League party of Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister of the Italian government.
A poll published at the end of February by the daily Corriere della Sera showed that around 45% of Italians are against the supply of arms to Ukraine, 34% are in favor: around 21% of respondents did not answer the question .
47% of the members of the Italian Prime Minister’s party spoke out against the supply of arms to Kiev.
Italy sent several military aid packages to Ukraine under the previous government led by Mario Draga. The Meloni administration cooperates with France in the supply of SAMP / T-MAMBA air defense systems to Kiev.
Addressing Italian lawmakers, Meloni stressed that Rome would continue its efforts to establish a just peace in Ukraine, but added that so far there were no conditions for achieving this peace.
